TWICE AT NICE EastEnders wins TWO NTAs as Coronation Street and Emmerdale miss out AGAIN
EASTENDERS has won TWO National Television Awards – as Coronation Street and Emmerdale miss out again.
The BBC soap scooped Serial Drama, beating its ITV rivals as well as Hollyoaks and Casualty.
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Emmerdale won the gong last year, with EastEnders winning in 2023.
It wasn’t the only win for EastEnders on the night though, as Steve McFadden – who plays Phil Mitchell – picked up the Serial Drama Performance award.
It was the 66-year-old’s first ever NTA, despite being part of the show for 35 years.
He beat Emmerdale’s Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle), Coronation Street’s Jack P. Shepherd (David Platt) and Sue Devaney (Debbie Webster) and his co-star Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning).
As he took to the stage, Steve paid tribute to the other soaps and their casts, before stating how much of an honour it was to win.
And speaking in the winners room, Steve said: “I’m very happy, I’m absolutely over the moon.
“It’s been hard work, the last 35 years have been hard work but this last year has been particularly hard.
“It’s been very gratifying and it validates what we do. I’m very happy that I’ve been able to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice.”
“They [the bosses and producers] want us to graft and go to the edge of what’s possible.”
He also paid tribute to former co-star Jamie Borthwick, who was axed from his role as Jay Brown.
Peggy Mitchell returns in dark and harrowing EastEnders as Phil faces his demons
The pair shared a number of scenes during Phil’s suicidal spiral, and when asked what his favourite memories were of the past year, he said: “Scenes with Jamie Borthwick, with Keith Allen, lovely memories.”
He added of being on the show: “A lot of it is quite dark and deep, and it takes a lot out of me.”
When asked where he was going to put his award, he said “right in the middle of the mantelpiece.”
His co-star Jessie Wallace added that Steve was a “very dear friend” and she “loved him very dearly”.
She also said he should have won the award “years ago”.
The night ended on a high for EastEnders, as it picked up the Serial Drama gong, which is the cherry on the cake for the show’s 40th birthday year.
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